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Who Do You Think You Are?

Editorial Review

Editorial Review

History is often accused of being a fairly dry affair and, without some sort of personal connection, it's often difficult to relate to the dusty pages of the past. Who Do You Think You Are? found that personal connection, exploring the lives of various British celebrities - not their sordid personal pasts, but their long-forgotten ancestral heritage.

This episode features Doctor Who star David Tennant. Expecting a predictable story of the Glaswegian lower middle classes, Tennant is instead taken on a journey out of Glasgow to the rugged Scottish island of Mull and then across to northern Ireland. Here, the actor confronts his maternal family history, staunch Protestantism and aggressive unionistic sentiments in the troubled province of Derry - views dramatically opposed to his own.

As Tennant searches for his ancestors' names in battered historical texts and interviews distant relatives who still live in the area, the dramatic histories of Ireland and Scotland gain new relevance. Even if you're still not particularly impressed by history, Tennant's boyish enthusiasm for his quest is engaging in itself. And if you're more interested in gossip rags than documentaries, the show is of value for its unique behind-the-scenes insight into the actor's personality and family life.

Who Do You Think You Are? airs on SBS on Sunday, October 12, at 7:30pm.

View Citysearch's TV guide.

Shelley Tustin, October 2008